To Say Farewell
by Cheshire Pandacat
Summary: TYL!Mukuro meets TYE!Tsuna after things have gone horribly wrong. Based on a beautiful piece of fanart that most definitely isn't mine. Drabble. Not actually shippy, but has some vague 6927 vibes.


A/Ns: Inspired by a piece of fanart (http :(slash)(slash) 24 . media . tumblr . com (slash) 1089e495262599442f6c8b1a760061c4 (slash) tumblr_mmvm9tjOLz1rkw2kko1_500 .jpg, take out the spaces and replace (slash) with an actual slash) which is very beautiful, and also very much NOT MINE. The source is in the corner, if barely visible; if I had a link to the original I'd provide it, but alas, the place I found it didn't have it. D:

If anyone DOES have a link to the original source, send it to me so I can credit them properly! ^_^

Disclaimer: Take a wild guess.

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To Say Farewell

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"Does it really have to be this way, Mukuro?" Decimo asks softly.

On one knee, blood dripping down the left side of his face, his back screaming after taking a direct hit from the XX Burner, Mukuro's smile is full of resigned hatred.

"Kufufu… to ask that now… you're just as naïve as you were ten years ago, Vongola Decimo."

The boss of the Vongola closes his eyes, expression soaked with regret and pain. When those orange-gold eyes pin Mukuro once more, the last glimmer of hope is gone. "I see. I'm sor - ˮ

Mukuro snarls. "Don't insult me."

Decimo's eyes flash with hurt, but he presses his lips together, cutting off an apology that, no matter how sincere, meant nothing. He shifted into the stance for the XX Burner once more. "Farewell… Muku - ˮ

There's a puff of white smoke, and when it clears, fourteen-year-old Tsuna is standing there, coughing. Mukuro stiffens.

"Jeez, Lambo needs to watch where he points that thing…" Then eyes that still hold innocence and hope, warmth and trust, spot Mukuro and widen. Tsuna launches himself towards the man he still considers a friend. "Mukuro?! What happened? Are you okay?"

One small hand hesitantly reaches out to him, but halts when Tsuna looks into his eyes. Mukuro's not sure what Tsuna's seeing – the pain, the betrayal, the blood that stands between himself and the Sawada Tsunayoshi of this time?

Mukuro closes his eyes – to spare Tsuna's feelings or guard his own, he's not certain. His lips twitch into a bitter smile.

"You happened," he drawls, using words to cut and humor to blunt the pain. A knife-edge dance he used to enjoy, until all the humor bled out of the world.

"Me?" So much confusion and horror and fear in one little world. "I… I did this to you? Why? What's going on?" A beat. "Can… can I change this somehow?"

"Five minutes is hardly enough time to get five years' worth of grievances off my chest," Mukuro says. He forces himself to look at the boy, if only through hooded eyes. Even so, that earnest gaze plunges knives of yearning nostalgia and deep resentment into his heart.

"I'll only remind you that I despise the mafia, and I would do anything – _anything _– to destroy it. If you become Vongola Decimo in fact as well as in name, you _will_ be my enemy." Mukuro pauses. How much to tell him?

As much as he can. If at least one version of himself can be spared this future, it's worth it.

"The others are dead," Mukuro says quietly, seizing Tsuna's eyes with his own and refusing to let them go. "Ken, Chikusa, M.M., Fran… Chrome… they're dead." Will the boy survive one last knife thrust? Mukuro discards the thought – whether he will or not, the words must be said. "Because of the Vongola. Because of _you._"

Tsuna rocks back on his heels, staring at him. Then, he steps forward again, and wraps his arms around Mukuro, leaning his cheek against his head.

Mukuro freezes, eyes flying wide.

"I'll change it," Tsuna whispers fiercely, tears falling into Mukuro's hair. "I promise I'll change it. I _will._"

In the warmth of that embrace, after a moment of hesitation, Mukuro lets his forehead dip until it's braced on Tsuna's shoulder. He closes his eyes.

"Kufufu… I'd almost forgotten how cute you used to be. I'm glad I was able to see this side of you, one last time. Farewell… Sawada Tsunayoshi."

Mukuro draws his trident back, counting the seconds. The moment white smoke erupts, he slams it home.


End file.
